Small Band of Fascists Attempting to Disrupt Boston Anarchist Bookfair Are Quickly Repelled

BOSTON – On Sunday, November 18, a small group of fascists attempted to enter, disrupt and intimidate attendees of the Boston Anarchist Bookfair but were quickly pushed out by attendees. The group of five to six men who wore matching clothing and face masks attempted to enter the bookfair at approximately 4pm and began chanting anti-immigration slogans. One of the chants was “Blood and Soil,” which was a key slogan of the German Nazi party. The individuals are presumed to be members of the fascist organization Patriot Front, which uses fascist and Nazi symbolism, and which attempted a similar foiled effort to storm the Houston Anarchist Bookfair in September 2017.

Within minutes of the group entering, attendees and organizers quickly surrounded the fascists, began engaging them and chanting “Nazis out! Nazis out!” Never making it more than ten feet past the entrance and not entering the actual bookfair space itself, the entire confrontation lasted less than ten minutes as the group quickly backed down and made an exit. No physical altercations were known to have occurred.

Patriot Front, is a splinter group of American Vanguard which collapsed in the wake of the 2017 Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally. In the aftermath of the protest it was revealed that 20 year old James Alex Fields Jr., who murdered Heather Heyer and injured dozens of others by driving a car at high speed into a group of counter protesters, marched together with American Vanguard during the protest. Since then the group has worked to rebrand their fascist politics under the guise of patriotism and focuses on anonymous flyering and propagandistic attempts to intimidate left groups and social movements, such as several members vandalizing an “Occupy ICE” encampment in San Antonio, Texas in August.

The incident is an important reminder that organized security preparations and quick reactions are essential to protect the safety of our movements and organizations.